The Los Angeles Lakers entered the offseason early after losing in the first round of the NBA playoffs, which gave players more time to focus on other matters.
The Lakers had around only 70 days of rest last offseason, so the players would have significantly more time to relax their bodies this time around to prepare for next season.
However, for players like Talen Horton-Tucker, he’s been grinding it out for weeks since the Lakers were eliminated.
Horton-Tucker is entering free agency as a restricted free agent this summer because his rookie contract is coming to an end. The Lakers can match any offer that teams submit for him, but L.A. must operate with caution if potential offers do come Horton-Tucker’s way.
The second-round pick in 2019 had a breakout campaign with the Lakers because he inserted himself as a possible rotational player going forward. He also showed the ability to create his own shot off the bounce, which was a trait many reserves in L.A. didn’t have.
As Horton-Tucker prepares for next season, he’s been seen in various videos working out on his body and with trainers on developing aspects of his game.
Recently, Horton-Tucker was in a video working out on the basketball court with recording artist J. Cole and Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy, via Handy’s Twitter:
The #passion is real, the #work is real, the love for the #game is real and @JColeNC is a real student of the game. Pulled up for a couple of days and got some work in with @Thortontucker … got out of his comfort zone and got better🔥. @createwhatstrue @sportsxacademy pic.twitter.com/si72TLAYLb
— Phil Handy (@94feetofgame) July 4, 2021
Horton-Tucker’s work ethic and commitment to evolving his game have been on full display this offseason. Only time will tell if those improvements will be with the Lakers or another NBA team.
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